Jaishankar Criticises West for Kashmir, Taliban Hypocrisy

 New Delhi: External affairs minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday attacked the West for its “hypocrisy” and “double-speak” and pointed out how an invasion by Pakistan on Jammu and Kashmir (in 1947-48) was converted into a dispute at the UN. Speaking at an interaction at the ongoing Raisina Dialogue here, the minister said: “We all speak of sovereignty… it is the bedrock of international rules… After the Second World War, the longest-standing illegal presence and occupation of a country’s territory by another country pertains to India. What we saw in Kashmir. Now we (India) went to the UN. What was an invasion was made into a dispute… So the attacker and the victim were put on par. Who were the culpable parties? UK, Canada, Belgium, Australia and USA. So, pardon me, but I have some question marks on that old order.” The minister said that the “virtues of this old world order” were therefore highly “exaggerated”.

The EAM added: “We speak of political interference. When the West goes out into countries, it is apparently in pursuit of democratic freedoms. When other countries come into the West, it seems to have a very malign intention… We need a strong UN but a strong UN requires a fair UN.” Mr Jaishankar also pointed to Western hypocrisy on the Taliban in Afghanistan. He questioned the current Western criticism of the Taliban and asked how it could be reconciled with the engagement between the West and the Taliban during the talks in previous years in Oslo (Norway) and Doha (Qatar). He recalled how a British general had once compared the Taliban to “country boys with their own honour code”. He pointed out that if the Taliban were considered terrible, then what was being discussed by the West with the militia in both Doha and Oslo.

It may be recalled that Pashtun tribals backed by the Pakistan Army had launched a full-scale war against the then princely state of Jammu and Kashmir headed by Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh, following which J&K acceded to India. The Indian Army then pushed back the tribals and Pakistani forces who, however, retained control of some occupied territory, referred to as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). It may also be noted that just earlier this month while on a visit to London, Mr Jaishankar had demanded the return of PoK back to India and had termed it the “stolen part of Kashmir”, stating once this was done, the Kashmir issue would be “solved”.

Speaking during an interaction at Chatham House in London while answering a question from the audience less than two weeks ago, the EAM had said: “We (the Indian government) have done a good job in solving most of it (Kashmir issue). Removing Article 370 was one (step),” adding that the other steps were restoring growth and economic activity in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), ensuring social justice and conducting elections which saw a very high turnout. “What we are waiting for is the return of the stolen part of Kashmir which is under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. When that is done, I assure you that Kashmir (issue) is solved,” the EAM said. The comments are seen as a reiteration of the Modi government’s stand that the only pending issue between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue is the return of PoK to India.